BHSU marketing department wins two Silver ADDYs

The BHSU marketing and communications office was recently recognized with two Silver Addy awards. Accepting the awards are: Corinne Hansen, director of marketing and communications; Kristen Kilmer, assistant director of marketing and communications, who served as lead designer for the award winning student recruitment campaign; and Chad Lundberg, information specialist, who created the award winning video.

In its first time competing in the local Black Hills ADDY Awards, the Black Hills State University Marketing and Communications department brought home two Silver ADDYs.

BHSU President Kay Schallenkamp praised Marketing and Communications staff members for their creativity and dedication.

“In recent years, our Marketing and Communications staff have worked hard to enhance the look and feel of our promotional materials. The feedback from students, alumni, and the public has been excellent. Receiving two Addy awards affirms those efforts and is a tribute to the staff and their work,” Schallenkamp says.

Gina Gibson, assistant professor of digital media, noted the importance of the awards. “It’s not just any award, it’s an ADDY - the most impressive award in the advertising field.”

The lead creative for the student recruitment campaign was Kristen Kilmer, assistant director of Marketing and Communications. Kilmer, along with the marketing and admissions staff members, collaborated to create the recruitment publications to give prospective students a glimpse of life on the BHSU campus. The print campaign visually showcases the University’s location in the Northern Black Hills and the recreational and educational opportunities afforded by this location. The publications include firsthand comments from BHSU students and alumni about how their lives have been transformed through encouragement and mentorship from faculty and staff and the unique research and leadership opportunities in which they were able to take part.

Chad Lundberg, information specialist, took the lead in creating the video that was selected for a Silver Addy award. The video, which is one and a half minutes, was created to promote the University’s annual Sustainability Day by highlighting several of the environmentally friendly initiatives on campus while also showcasing the University's beautiful surroundings. BHSU, which is recognized as a leader in sustainability, was the first South Dakota University to join the American College and University President's Climate Commitment.

Corinne Hansen, director of Marketing and Communications, noted that the Addys are the result of a comprehensive team effort. Members of the marketing team also include: Sheryl Holman, graphic designer; Ryan Shippy, coordinator of internet development; Adam Roosa, information specialist, and Michelle Pawelski, coordinator of news and media relations, and student employees in the Marketing and Communications office.

The AAF-Black Hills ADDY® Awards Competition is the first of a three-tiered national competition conducted annually by the American Advertising Federation (AAF). The ADDY® Awards Competition is the industry’s largest and most representative competition for creative excellence. The AAF’s ADDY® Awards honor creative excellence in advertising and cultivate the highest creative standards in the industry.

BHSU students and recent graduates won a total of nine ADDYs including Best in Show for Kelsey Mackin, mass communication major from Rapid City, for her “Value your Life” anti-smoking piece. This was the first year the AAF Black Hills ADDY Awards incorporated a student division into the competition.

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